For over 2000 years, a bridge spanned the River Thames, beginning with the first recorded mention of a pontoon bridge in the first century. During King Edgar's reign (between 959-975 AD) another bridge was mentioned. That bridge eventually fell around 1014 AD, and may have inspired the familiar nursery rhyme.
According to legend, Danish pirates attacked London, and seized the bridge, hurling spears and rocks to those below. Viking chieftain Olaf Haralsen came to the locals' aid when he and his men rowed up to the bridge's pilings with their covered long-ships, fastened ropes to the bridge and literally pulled down the structure by the Vikings rowing furiously, thus tossing the Dane's into the river.
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